ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 279, 17 April 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"•THE BLUE BIRD."

Maeterlinck is recognised as the one star in the Belgian renaissance, and his mysticism and his idealism have created almost a new cult in the Held of literature. Naturally he is caviare to the general public, who cannot understand how lie can. see a poem in a snowstorm or a prayer in a rainbow. If they only knew it. it is exactly this form of idealism 'wliicMi constitutes the domestic routine, although it is not as a general rule appreciated or understood. Maeterlinck is not primarily a dramatist, and it is irceorded of him that the only production, from his own pen that he has ever seen-i played iR -'The Blue Bird." The work interested him theatrically, not for its own sake, hut because it dealt witli children; This is the keynote of hi* ch'araetci'- -u love of nature, a love of children,, and ft Itve of the simplicity of life. It is an ideal that would naturally go> far in a world that was prepared to accept idealities rather than actualities. For this reason the dra- . matisation of his hook does not appeal to the general public, which is more concerned with where the next eighteenpence is to come from than with those intimate little intricacies of soul and .heart-thought which really arc the making of our being. Maeterlinck himself has complained that the rendering of his play in London, in Paris, and in Russia, \v»s too literal. The complaint can easily be recognised. The story is really too subtle and too ethereal for. ; stage presentation. On the boards it loses its iiiraint literary essence, and, as a matter of simple fact, its charm is. one for the quietness of the fireside . rather than for the glare of tnc footlights. Wordsworth once wrote an "Ode on the Intimations of Immortality from the Reeolii'i-tlons of Early Childhood," » title whicl) was as horrible as the poem . is beautiful, and Maeterlinck may well have founded his play upon this immortal poem. But these delicacies are always more titerary than histrionic, and we doubt if stage presentation is always the best method of expression. Still "Tlie Bine Bird," as presented last night by Mr; J. C. Williamson's company, possessed marry merits. It suggested What it' could not always convey, and in this respect it resembled not a few of its pre- s > decessors, which have sought vainly ta> grow the Tillies of life upon a canvas background. The play is an attempt to express within the limitations of stagecraft a beautiful ideal of childhood. Naturally it fails—it could do nobbing else at the hands of the best actors in ' the world. But, as Oeorge Herbert has written, "who aimeth at the sky shoota ( higher far than he who means a tree." And in the light of this conception we are glad to have had the "Blue, Bird"* with us. The play does not entirely stand or fall by the' theme. Much scope 1 is given to scenic effects and the like, and in this last night's production aWy filled the bill. There were six acts, and each was productive of some mpst fascinating scenery. The interior of the woodcutter's cottage, in the opening scene, witli its quaint bedstead and its general air of rustic simplicity, qttiki • captivated the eyes of all. Then again „ "The Fairy Beryluhe's Palace* wnst Have required much imaginative genius., to attain the effect it did, but "The Land '■ ■ of Memory," in which the children were ■ reunited with their dead grandparents. —dead -so far as this world is concerned I —was even more superb. Of "The Kingdom of the Future" and "The Palace of" ; tike Night," it might almost be said that -. the acme of stage realism and pictnr- ' esquness was reached. Much of the • story had to do with inanimate articles < of domesticity and dumb animals, wbomasqueraded as human beings, anddit*. was here that the lightning and cleverly-• designed transformation effects crime in.. The cast of characters was as extensive • ' as it was varied, but the bulk of tthework fell to the lot of Miss Gertie Cre^-

mer, as "Tyltyl" (the boy) and:Mi» Vera Spaull, as "Mytyl" (the girl), both of whom were so persistent in < thbir search after the'elusive "Blue Bird." They made charming children, gifted* with perfect stage possession, andiia delightful mannerism. In short, thay bad' a "winning way" with them. however, did not call for much .noting, though the personnel of the cast would' have ensured this had it been necessary. Mention 1 must be made, however .off th*

exceptional gracefulness of Hiss Madge Elliot as ".'Hater." The aorchestrttion of the "Blue Bird" was without doubt one of its happiest and most successful features. For this the compaayfc.ueeial orchestra, under Mr. Edwin Kawlings, was responsible.

I THEATRE ROYAL PICTURES. A new film selection will be screened at the Theatre Royal this evenirig, when the "star" picture will be an historical masterpiece. "The Retreat from Moscow," or 'The Fall of Napoleon." Ostensibly happening in tllafc btoek year 1812, the outstanding scenes have beea .:] arranged with an admirable fidelity and \ '• consistency. Thousands of principle* and supernumeries, droves of splendid. horses, and "properties" innumerabfe ! have been called in to assist in the mafc« jj •ing of this picture, which is over 2,OWK ] feet in length. Another- picture sure of $ a popular reception l is the Vitagrapbe ') drama "The Face or the Voice," ii| ! which Miss Florence Turner and Man* "* rice Costello play th* leading parts. . '-;

EMPIRE PrCTTTRES. "; At the bi-weekly change of programm* >' at the Empire Picture Palace last night,. '[ a number of very interesting films were . screened. One of the best Irish films vet ' \ |sereened in New Plymouth by theKafem j Company entitled "Ireland, "the Oppres- , ] sed," was a story of the dark days of .$ '1)8, when the ironhand of English- rulo j lay heavy on Ireland. "Sunshine* an ,i Essanay drama, dealt with the love a « man bad for his sister ami the aacrl- J flees he made to save her honor. "The ' Uprising" and "The Driver of the Deadwood Coach" were' of the sensational Western yarietv, bad men and Indians playing a prominent past in these photo .(plays. Two scenic films of high order were shown, one being a view of tha • ancient town of Koutais. with its old buildings and pictnresmie inhabitants, * and the other "An Oasis in the Sahara Desert." The difference between the. bare sunbaked desert and the beautiful ' green and shady nalms of the oasis were wonderful. Besides these a number of the best comic films were sereened. amidst great delight. The Oanmonf Graphic was full of interesting items, illustrating events which had been chronicled from time to time In the newspapers.